Monday, September 7, 2015

Johnson Reflection

I found this reading
from Privilege, Power, and Differences by Allan G. Johnson to be very enlightening and pertinent given present day issues of racially charged
violence and debates.

Johnson speaks about the
discomfort that individuals experience when they discuss issues such as
"white privilege". Throughout the piece, Johnson takes his readers
through his own journey of discomfort, and he remarks on the common trends that
occurs when people try to have these discussions.

Although I technically
am a "person of color", I also struggle
through this discomfort as a Latino. For instance, I often feel very connected with my
students given that I share similar backgrounds and experiences with many of
them. More than 85% of my school identifies as Black and/or Hispanic/Latino.
Whether it is the way I look, my age, or even the music I listen to, I can
often relate to my students in many ways. However, in many ways I cannot. I was
fortunate to be born into a family in which my parents stressed the importance
of college. I was given an opportunity to go to a boarding school and play a
college sport. While we never lived a glamorous life, my parents made sure we
always had food on the table. On the other hand, many of my students have never
had the opportunity to leave Providence. College is not a reality for many of
my students. In many ways, I can be a role-model for my students, but I often
feel disconnected from them in others.

Additionally, Johnson
speaks about the “defensive” reaction that many Caucasians feel when the
conversation about “white privilege” comes about. I have been in numerous
conversations and seen these responses. More often than not, one group feels
that they are being attacked. “I didn’t create this system,” and “I worked
hard. I had no privileges,” are common responses. In order for these
conversations to create meaningful change, I believe that all participants need
to be more reflective. If we realize that we are not attacking a specific
individual and that we are all a part of this societal problem, then we can try
to resolve some issues.